Engaged Employees Overcome Obstacles

Cathie Leimbach • April 29, 2020

It is an everyday occurrence in the workplace – something doesn’t go exactly as intended.

We regularly face obstacles and challenges that we must overcome to fulfill our responsibilities. Some people take such problems in their stride. They maintain a positive attitude as they try alternative ways to get the job done. Such individuals are competent at X-ing Out the Negatives.

Three strategies that can help us have a positive outlook are:

  1. Accepting Problems – enjoy the learning that happens from mistakes and the discoveries you make along the way
  2. Believing the Best – be confident that you and the people around you can find solutions to the challenges you face
  3. Casting Off the Negatives – don’t dwell on your fears, focus on the upside possibilities

When we have an attitude of focusing on the positives and putting negative thinking and feelings behind us, we will enjoy our work more. We will have a sense of accomplishment at the end of each day. We will look forward to opportunities for creative problem solving. These positive emotions about our work increase our willingness to go the extra mile. We become invested in the organization’s mission and goals. We become engaged employees.

And because we are emotionally engaged at work, having a positive outlook becomes a habit.

What can you do to X-out the negatives in your work and increase your workplace engagement?

Accountability Without Drama

By Cathie Leimbach • March 3, 2026
Accountability doesn’t have to feel tense or awkward. When done well, it’s calm, clear, and supportive. Most leaders avoid it because they don’t want conflict. But avoiding it creates something worse — inconsistency, frustration, and missed results. Strong accountability is simple: What was expected? What actually happened? What needs to happen next? When leaders address issues early and clearly, drama fades. People know where they stand. Follow through improves. Common mistakes: Waiting too long Being inconsistent Attacking the person’s character These patterns can change. With the right habits, accountability becomes predictable instead of stressful — and work gets better fast. 👉Download our Accountability Without Drama Checklist to practice these conversations with confidence.

Communication Gaps

By Cathie Leimbach • February 24, 2026
Most communication problems don’t happen because people aren’t listening. They happen because leaders assume clarity instead of checking for it. “I think they get it” isn’t the same as “they really do.” When people don’t clearly understand what’s expected of them, they make their own assumptions to fill in the gaps. That’s when rework, missed deadlines, and frustration show up. Strong leaders ask better questions: What do you see as the top priority? What does success look like to you? What could get in the way? These don’t slow work down — they prevent costly resets later. Try a simple weekly habit: Think about one key conversation. What did I mean? What did they hear? Where was the gap? Small awareness leads to big gains. 👉 You’re invited to a Leadership Conversation with other leaders to discuss common leadership gaps and how they quietly influence results.